While under water off the coast of Turkey, a group of divers encountereda translucent blob about the size of a car. The blob felt “very soft,” divers said, and appeared “gelatinous.” From afar, the mass looked almost invisible, but up close, the group spotted countless little dots floating in the 13-foot sphere.

It looks like we’re in for a strong, lengthy El Niño this year. Warmer-than-usual water in parts of the Pacific Ocean indicates that a developing El Niño is intensifying and might become one of the strongest on record. And National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists think the weather phenomenon probably will continue through the winter of 2015-16, and into the spring of 2016.

A team of marine researchers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has discovered a three-way conflict raging at the microscopic level in the frigid waters off Antarctica over natural resources such as vitamins and iron.

Creatures that dwell hundreds of meters below the ocean’s surface are notoriously strange and alluring, and the lanternshark is no exception. Mysterious fluorescent markings, called lateral photophores, flank both sides of the small, slender shark’s body, glowing vibrantly in waters that are otherwise black.

When the retired fishing trawler MV Cape Race sets off along Greenland’s west coast this week, it will start hauling in a scientific catch that promises to improve projections of how the ice-covered island will fare in a warming world. The ship’s cruise is the initial phase of a six-year air and sea campaign to probe interactions between Greenland’s glaciers and the deep, narrow fjords where they come to an end.

New research confirms that the land under the Chesapeake Bay is sinking rapidly and projects that Washington, D.C., could drop by six or more inches in the next century–adding to the problems of sea-level rise.

Scientists at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science investigating the increasing risk of ‘compound flooding’ for major U.S. cities have found that flooding risk is greatest for cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts when strong storm surge and high rainfall amounts occur together.

When dolphins dive deep below the water’s surface, they avoid succumbing to decompression sickness, or “the bends,” likely because the massive sea creatures have collapsible lungs, a new study finds. These lungs allow dolphins to inhale and exhale two to three times quicker than humans.

We are pleased to announce the promotion to vice president of two of our senior leaders. Kristen Yarincik is being promoted to Vice President and Director, Research and Education, and Mike Kelly to Vice President and Director, Ocean Observing.

Coral reefs, under pressure from climate change and direct human activity, may have a reduced ability to protect tropical islands against wave attack, erosion and salinization of drinking water resources, which help to sustain life on those islands. A new paper gives guidance to coastal managers to assess how climate change will affect a coral reef’s ability to mitigate coastal hazards.